Shotgun shells



J. K. DAVIDSON ETAL 3,256,815

SHOTGUN SHELLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS ATTORNEY .|n f hlillliiiilllllllll June 21, 1966 Filed Aug. 19, 1964 JOHN K. DAVIDSON ALDO FORCELLA June 2l, 1966 J. K. DAVIDSON ETAL 3,256,815

SHOTGUN SHELLS Filed Aug. 19, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheer. 2

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INVENTORS JOHN K. DAVIDSON ALDO FORCELLA ATTORNEY United States Patent O Filed Aug. 19, 1964, Ser. No. 390,547 13 Claims. (Cl. 102-42) l This invention relates to improvements in shotgun shell structures and the method of making same.

At the present time, commercially produced shotgun shells involve the crimping of the end of the shell case over the shot charge by an end crimping operation. The purpose of the crimping of the end portion of the shotgun shell comprehends two objectives, the first, of course, be-

ing the closure for theend of the loaded shell case and, secondly, the provision of necessary built-up resistance to permit the full combustion of the powder charge in the shell. Shells constructed in this manner, i.e. with the end crimping operation, have disadvantages. For instance, the compression of the shot charge required to burst the end crimp results in the deformation of the shot pellets which necessarily results in poor ballistics. Also, the crimping operation, due to the shell structure, is detrimental to multiple reloading and in some instances prevents any reloading operation. It will be understood as well that the requirement for a satisfactory crimping operation may limit the choice of paper compositions, plastics or metal alloys which can be considered for the outer shell body or case.

It is, therefore, the object of this invention to provide a shell structure in which the necessary initial resistance to permit full combustion of the powder charge be -provided inside of the shell body and below the shot charge, whereby no crimping of the outer end of the shell structure is necessary.

Another object of the invention is to provide a minimum amount of resistance at the outer end of the shell and over the shot charge by the use of a light retainer, preferably in the form of an adhesive paper cap.

Another object of the instant invention is to providean inner tube of paper, plastic or metal fitting snugly within the outer paper, plastic or metal case, said inner tube to contain the combustion or powder charge and wadding and to be roll or fold crimped, or otherwise flanged at the upper end to retain the powder and powder wad, it being understood that the inwardly crimped inner tube portion which would be deflected by the explosion 'of the powder chargel could be re'crimped or reflanged by appropriate means for reloading.

An alternate embodiment of the instant invention is the provision of crimped powder capsules which can be inserted as a unit in the shell body to provide an accurate measured dry powder charge. This structure avoids the necessity of weighing the powder for the shell by the provision of a capsule of the right diameter and length and containing the prescribed amount of explosive.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a plastic shell casing or tube constructed with a reinforced base portion to eliminate the use of a metal skirt Another object of the invention is to provide a shotgun shell structure in which the powder for the shell will be provided in the form which will protect the charge against exposure to the atmosphere.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a method of loading shotgun shells by confining the powder charge over the primer by a wad. Sufficient resistance to permit full combustion of the powder charge is provided by retaining the powder charge by a crimping operation of the powder housing or casing or by deformation of the lining portion of the shell case body, providing additional wadding above the crimp and below the shot charge, and retaining the shot charge by a minimum resistance closure or tape.

A further object of the invention is to provide a powder capsule of appropriate length and diameter for snug fitting over the primer portion of the shell, with the powder capsule case closed over the primer by a rupture disc, whereby proper loading of the powder charge can be safely expedited.

These and further objects of the invention will more clearly hereinafter appear-by reference to the accompany- FIG. 1 isa vertical section through a shotgun shellv casing;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section through a shotgun shell in which the powder capsule has its bottom portion modified;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section showing a further modification in which the thickened internal bottom portion of the shell casing is flanged to provide a retainer for the powder wadding;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the shell structure of FIG. 3 prior to the deformation of the annular retaining flange over the powder wadding;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section showing a modified vform of the invention incorporating a plastic shell structure;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a modified base incorporating the use of a plastic shell body; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the structure of the wall of the powder capsuleA or shell.

Referring now to FIG. l, a shotgun shell casing or tube is indicated at 1, this tube being of cylindrical form and of appropriate length to hold predetermined powder and shot loadings and their associated wadding. The bottom or housing and to incorporate in such a plastic shell a predetermined charge of powder in a capsule or tubular i container to facilitate reloading.

of the shell is shown with the primer seat 2 and the base .waddng 3 having a downwardly converging truncatedconical supporting area 4 upon which the powder charge is basically mounted. The conical supporting area 4 defines the major portion of the base wad 3 and this base wad in the disclosure of FIG. l is further defined by the outer upper annular horizontal surface 5 to provide a seat for the inner powder tube or capsule 6, this inner tube 6 being of cylindrical form and having a diameter to snugly fit within the outer tube casing 1. The inner tubular powder casing 6 has its bottom end portion resting upon the upper inner face of metal cap 2a and is crimped at its lower margin with the casing into the cap rim recess 2b. Thus, the inner powder tube 6 is held in place during the operation which presses the base wad 3 into its final shape.

The inner powder tube 6 is preferably charged from its top. It can 'also be charged from the bottom before priming by first inserting the upper -wad 8 which is of such structure and formation as to provide ample combustion resistance. The wad 8 is held in position by Patented June 21, 1966 i the in-turned annular peripheral flange 111 which, due to the wall structure of the powder tube 6, is readily deformed outwardly when explosion of the powder charge 7 occurs. Located immediately above the inturned ange 11 is an additional wad 12 upon which an appropriate load of shot 14 is supported and this mass of shot 14 is held in position by a thin membrane 15 which is relatively weak and fragile insofar as resistance to the combustion of the powder charge 7 is concerned, but is of sufficient strength to maintain the shot 14 in position over the supporting wad 12.

In FIG. 2 a similar unit assembly is provided, the shell casing being shown at 1a having a bottom cap 1b supporting the base wad 3a and mounting the powder capsule 6a in which is arranged the top wad 8a. held by in-turned flange 11a with a powder charge 7a. In the disclosure of FIG. 2, the cylindrical capsule 6a is provided with a conical base 16 which is shaped to conform to the truncated conical surface 4a of the base wad. By this construction the powder capsule 6a and the wad 8a can be made as a unit and the parts retained by the membrane 18 so that the structure can be inserted into the shell upon t-he surface 4a of the base wad 3:1. By this means the powder charge is not subjected to atmospheric conditions, the charge is regulated as to size and the resistance to the ring of the powder is provided within the powder capsule by the wadding 8a and the internal crimp 11a. Other means such as heat sealed plastic or mechanical features can also be used to retain the powder and wad.

Referring now to FIG. 3, it will be noted that the shell casing includes a relatively heavy base portion 21 which includes a length providing a chamber for the powder charge 26 and its associated wadding 25, while the balance and upper part of the shell casing 22 is relatively thin. The thinner wall 22 at its junction with the thicker base portion 21 provides with the balance of the shell case structure a continuous smooth outer surface for fitting in the bore of the gun, while the inner surface at the point of junction of the two shell parts is formed with a vertical internal annular extension Z3, the inner surface of which conforms with the inner sur- -face of the thicker wall portion 21. The internal extension 23 is offset with respect to the adjacent inner wall 22a of the shell portion 22 and in use the annular projection 23 is adapted to be angeddown as at 24 to form an annular ange providing a stop against which the wadding 25 seats. The powder charge 26 and the wadding 25 may be loaded with or without a powder casing, such as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

For purposes of illustration, FIG. 3 is shown without the powder casing and in this structure the powder charge 26 may be filled from the top before wadding or through the primer opening 27 in the base of the shell casing. In this disclosure the upper wadding 28 is shown resting on the in-turned flange 24 and extends from sidewall to sidewall of the upper portion of the shell housing 22. The shot load 29 overlies the wadding 28, it being understood that the thickness of wadding 28 is designed to provide a volume suicientfor the proper shot load which may vary in accordance with the size of the shot for the particular group of shells being loaded. The shot 29 in the upper portion of the shell are held in position by a thin tape or membrane 30 in lieu of the conventional crimped shell extremity now providedfor retarding the explosion to provide ample combustion of the powder char-ge 26.

In each of the forms of the invention the method of loading is substantially the same and comprehends the retention of the powder and powder wadding by an internal crimping operation rather than, as is usually the custom, by providing a crimp in the outer extremity of the shell assembly and over the shot to provide the necessary resistance and delay to permit the full combustion of the powder charge. By crimping the powder wadding prior to the loading of the shot and by retaining the shot or pellets, deformation of the shot or pellets is prevented and in addition the shell case is retained against damage at its outer end portion, whereby the shell casing can be used a large number of times for reloading which is extremely desirable in the art.

By the present concept, including the crimping of a separate pre-charged powder capsule or by crimping the main casing immediately above the powder charge and its wadding, it is possible to provide a shell structure of paper, plastic or metal, which shell will not be injured at its outer extremity where it is conventional to crimp the present day shell. Thus, reuse of a shell by a reloading operation can be accomplished a great number of times. Also by providing a capsule for the powder charge, the combustible material or powder can be kept from exposure to moisture and can be provided in predetermined amounts so that the strength of the combustible charge is uniform regardless of the number of reloading operations. In that form of the invention where the powder is not inserted with its wadding in a capsule unit, the internal flange provided at the center portion of the length of the casing necessarily limits the amount of combustible'material or powder which can be used as an appropriate volume must be provided for the appropriate wadding which must be located to terminate at the area of the. inwardly projecting flange so that the latter can be deformed inwardly to retain the wadding over the powder charge.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 the invention is illustrated in association with a plastic shell structure. Referring to FIG. 5, the plastic shell 30 is shown in the usual tubular form with the base of the shell structure substantially thickened at 31 by the inwardly tapered wall 32 which is generally inwardly curved in form to provide a reinforced bottom structure which is molded with the metal shell base 33, the latter being of aluminum or other suitable alloy.

The base 33 and the shell structure provide an integral unit having the characteristic strength to withstand pressures occurring from the ring of the shell. The base 33 of the shell will be first fabricated and includes an annular outwardly projecting flange 34 with the conical rim wall 35 and inwardly facing shoulder 36. The central part of the base 33 is of tubular form and includes a conical recess 37 communicating with the annular primer recess 38. The outwardly projecting tubular central portion of the base is provided with lan annular wall 39 and laterally projecting annular flange 4() which is embedded into the plastic shell structure. It will be noted that the projecting shoulder face 36 and the side walls of the annular flange 40 function to bind the molded metal base 33 with the plastic shell body to create a unit assembly.

Located within the molded shell tbody is the powder tube or capsule unit 41 shaped to conform to the inner wall 32 of the molded shell body and terminating in an annular flange 42 shaped to seat in the conical recess 37 formed in the inner face `of the tubular central portion of the molded metal base 33. The end portion of the powder tube or capsule unit 41 is slotted 'as at 43 so that this end portion will snap or expand outwardly into the annular recess 37 and be retained against displacement when the parts are united. A membrane 44 seals the open end of the powder capsule 41 and is held in position by an annular flange 45 formed in the inner surface of the powder tube wall. By this structure the primer .when inserted in the open end of the molded base 33 land into the tubular mouth at the lbottom end of the powder tube 41 will lock the parts in place and result in direct application of the explosive primer charge to the powder charge 46 in the base of the powder tube or capsule 41.

As in the prior forms of the invention, a relatively heavy wadding 47 is placed over the powder charge 46 and is secured in place by the in-turned rim 48 of the powder tube 41, the in-turned rim 48 in its initial position being a continuation of the tube, as shown in dotted lines at 49. It is to be understood that the rim 48, as in the prior forms, provides ample resistance to permit the full combustion of the powder charge in the shell. As in the other forms of the invention, a further wadding 50 is provided over the powder tube or capsule 41 and the shot or pellets 51 are loa-ded over the wadding 50 and retained in position by a relatively light membrane 52.

In the for-m of the invention shown in FIG. 6, the same parts are assembled land are identified by the same reference characters. However, in this latter disclosure a metal housing embraces and bonds the molded metal base 33 with the plastic shell structure 30 and forms a rim for the assembly. This housing includes -a base section 54 overlying the bottom face of the molded -b-ase 33 and including an in-turned ange portion 55. This metal hours-ing projects upwardly a suiiicient distance about the molded base 33, as shown at 56, and encircles the rim portion of the base 33, as shown lat 57.

In FIG. 7 there is shown a fragmentary section of a portion of the powder tube or capsule 41 .and in this disclosure the outer face is shown .as provided with serrations 58 which will provide a substantial means for retaining the powder capsule unit within the shell structure and will tend to retain the powder unit a s-uflicient time to provide maximum combustion of the powder charge.

By the structure shown, the parts are so constructed and arranged that the combustion chamber in the shell, i.e. the area below the tianges 11, 11a, 24 and 48, in the several figures and containing the powder charge and its superimposed wadding will build up maximum pressure before the 'anges are opened without deforming the shot: and thereby adversely affecting ballistics. The novel conceptv provides a shell which can be conveniently, properly and safely reloaded without the use of expensive .and complicated equipment with each reloading providing a charge identical in every respect to the initial charge.

What is claimed is:

1. In a shell structure comprising an elongated cylindrical casing having at one end a primer seat and a primer, a powder chamber'arranged immediately above the primer seat, a relatively heavy wadding placed in the powder chamber over the powder charge, an annular inwardly projecting retainer flange overlying and retaining the powder wadding in position against the powder charge, said retaining ange providing initial resistance to the discharge of the wadding to retain the powder charge a suicient time to provide full combustion, a second wadding overlying said iange, shot pellets overlying the second wadding, and a thin closure structure for retaining the shot pellets within the outer portion of the shell casing, said last-named closure structure functioning mainly to prevent loss of the shot pellets.

2. In a shell structure comprising an elongated cylinder, a primer seat at one end -of said cylinder, a base enclosing the primer seat, a tubular powder capsule unit containing a predetermined charge of powder in its lower end, wadding in the upper end of said capsule unit overlying the powder therein, a frangible membrane closing the Vbottom end of the capsule and separating the powder capsule unit from the primer se-at, andan inwardly projecting liange means formed -at the outer end of the capsule unit and overlying the outer top marginal edge of the wadd-ing for retaining same in position and providing resistance to the discharge of said wadding for a suicient time to permit full combustion of the powder charge, said powder capsule unit having a diameter to tit snugly in the shell casing, a shot wadding overlying the ange of said powder capsule unit and supporting at its uppe-r surface a charge of shot pellets, and a relatively thin frangible closure at the outer end of said casing for retaining the shot pellets in said shell casing.

3. The structure of claim 2 characterized in that the base structure is provided with a conically-shaped seat portion and the powder capsule unit includes a lower portion of conical form for seating on the matching seat of the base structure.

4. The structure of claim 2 characterized in that the base structure is provided with a conical seat portion and the powder capsule unit includes a lower portion in the form of a truncated cone which seats on the conical seat of the hase wad and the terminal portion of the truncated cone of the powder capsule unit overlies the pri-mer seat and is sealed with frangible material.

5. The structure of claim 2 characterized in that the base is provided with a metallic rim and bottom portions of the elongated cylinder and tubular powder capsule are clamped in said base at said rim.

6. The structure of claim 2 characterized in that the base enclosing the primer seat includes an outer rim portion which encloses and clamps the out-turned bottom marginal edge of the elongated cylinder.

7. The method of loading a shotgun shell, which shotgun shell includes an elongated casing having at its lower end a primer seat and a base wad, saidmethod consisting of the steps of placing over the base wad a measured charge of explosive, inserting wadding over the explosive charge, providing a securing means between the casing and the marginal periphery of the outer face of the wadding to initially retain the same to permit full combustion of the powder charge, mounting a second wad on said securing means, Aloading pellets on the second wadding, and sealing the pellets in said casing by a relatively light frangible closure.

8. The method of loading a shotgun shell, which shotgun shell includes a tubular casing having -a base portion providing a primer seat, inserting in said casing over said base portion a powder capsule in which the' powder is retained at the top by wadding rigidly fixed in position by means sufficient to retain the w-adding in place for a period permitting complete combustion of the powder in said capsule, applying a relatively heavy wadding at the upper end of the powder capsule, and retaining shot in said shell casing over thesecond wadding by a light frangible retaining wall.

9. In a shell structure comprising a molded elongated cylindrical casing, said casing being delined by a cylindrical outer face and an inner face terminating Iat its lower portion in U-form to provide at the bottom area a wall portion of relatively thick structure, a metal shell base molded into the bott-om of said shell structure, said ,metal base being formed with a central opening, a tubular powder receptacle having its bottom portion conforming in shape to the bottom portion of said shell structure and including a tubular terminal portion seatingin the central opening formed in said base, and a membrane closing said tubular terminal.

10. The structure of claim 9 characterized in that the tubular powder receptacle includes a charge of powder at its bottom portion, a relatively heavy thick wadding at its upper portion, and means securing the Wadding, said wadding securing means overlying the wadding. to insure complete combustion of the powder before being released.

11. The structure of claim 9 characterized in that the tubular powder receptacle is provided with a roughened outer surface portion for frictionally engaging the inner face of the molded elongated cylindrical casing.

12. The structure of claim 9 characterized in that the central opening formed in the metal base includes an annular recess and .the tubular terminal` portion of the powder receptacle is formed with an outwardly projecting rim to seat in said recess.

13. The structure of claimv 12 characterized in that the tubular terminal portion of the powder receptacle has a bottom opening sealed by a membrane to retain the powder therein and said tubular terminal portion is adapted to be aligned with the central opening in the metal base, whereby a primer member may be inserted in the metal base and into the tubular terminal portion of the powder receptacle to expand the latter to provide a lock- 'Z 8 ing means between the powder receptacle and the metal FOREIGN PATENTS basi 512,635 10/1920 France. 884,993 5/1943 France. References Cited by the Examiner 560,314 3/1944 Great Britain.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 1 Pllnay E-Xllll'lle".

3,099,958 8/1963 Daubenspeck et al. 102-43 X R. F. STAHL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A SHELL STRUCTURE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL CASING HAVING AT ONE END A PRIMER SEAT AND A PRIMER, A POWDER CHAMBER ARRANGED IMMEDIATELY ABOVE THE PRIMER SEAT, A RELATIVELY HEAVY WADDING PLACED IN THE POWDER CHAMBER OVER THE POWDER CHARGE, AN ANNULAR INWARDLY PROJECTING RETAINER FLANGE OVERLYING AND RETAINING THE POWDER WADDING IN POSITION AGAINST THE POWDER CHARGE, SAID RETAINING FLANGE PROVIDING INITIAL RESISTANCE TO THE DISCHARGE OF THE WADDING TO RETAIN THE POWDER CHARGE A SUFFICIENT TIME TO PROVIDE FULL COMBUSTON, A SECOND WADDING OVERLYING SAID FLANGE, SHOT PELLETS OVERLYING THE SECOND WADDING, AND A THIN CLOSURE STRUCTURE FOR RETAINING THE SHOT PELLETS WITHIN THE OUTER PORTION OF THE SHELL CASING, SAID LAST-NAMED CLOSURE STRUCTURE FUNCTIONING MAINLY TO PREVENT LOSS OF THE SHOT PELLETS. 